A Branch in Time
by FaithSummers210
Summary: What if Lupin told Dumbledore about Sirius being an animagus? Would Peter have been caught? Would Sirius have been free or sent back to Azkaban?  What would this mean for Harry?
1. Chapter 1

A.N./ Hey guys. So this story has been sitting in my notebook app for a while and so I decided it was high time I finish this chapter and get it posted. I hope you enjoy it. I'm not sure where its heading 100%, so we shall see together if it turns out amazing or not.

A Branch in Time

Ch. 1

Dawn broke over the castle as a Sandy Brown haired man watched the sun rise. He hadn't slept a wink the previous night after the break in. He had patrolled the halls as he battled with himself. He knew how Sirius had broke into the castle (and from Azkaban for that matter), his grim like animagus dog, but their animagus forms had been a secret the marauders had shared, with a promise to never reveal to anyone what they had done and why. This was fermented in the war when their unknown animagus forms had saved them more than once.

Remus knew that by keeping the secret he could possibly be putting the castle's inhabitants at risk, but how could he betray the 3 men who had been so important to him. His stomach rolled at the thought of doing so, but as he looked across the hall of sleeping inhabitants he spotted a tuft of black unruly hair and he was reminded of another promise among the marauders. He lost himself in a memory of James

Flashback

A tuft of black hair stuck out from the blanket in the crib as the Marauders looked on. This was the first Marauder child to have been born and he was truly special to them all. James looked at his child in awe and wonder and utmost love and devotion. Remus had only seen James look that way at one other person before, his precious Lily.

"Remus, Sirius, you both have to promise me. If something should happen to me you have to take care of Lily and Harry. Guard, Love, and Protect them. If something should happen to Lils," He chocked on the words, "I need you to take care of Harry, he will need you more than ever. He and Lily are my life." Remus and Sirius promised in return for the same promise to their someday children, after all Sirius was engaged to Marlene, Harry wouldn't be the last Marauder child to grace this earth.

Present

Remus wished he had known then what he knew now. Harry was the last and only Marauder child to grace the earth. Marlene had been killed just a few months later after her marriage to Sirius and 2 month pregnant with their child. It had nearly killed Sirius, which was another reason he could never understand Sirius's betrayal.

Maybe Sirius had been so heartbroken he had gone psychotic and betrayed his friends, but it had never added up to the ambushes and murders before that betrayal, unless there had been a second spy who had turned Sirius. Remus growled in anger and pain at that thought his eyes flashing gold under the pale morning sunlight creeping slowly into the hall.

He was the only one of the Marauders left to carry out the promise made all of those years ago and as he watched Harry sleeping peacefully beside his friends and housemates, Remus's decision firmly resolved. To he'll with Sirius, if he wasn't going to follow the promise he made to his best friend and Godson, Remus wouldn't bother keeping his secret either. Remus would tell Dumbledore everything to protect the black-haired child that looked so much like James, but acted so much like Lily. Not only would he be protecting Harry, but also his friends and classmates that he had seen through these weeks and months that Harry cared dearly for, so much so that he had put his life on the line for them more than once.

That in his mind Remus walked determinedly out of the Great Hall, after handing over control to the first teacher he saw of course, and headed to the headmaster's office. It was time to catch smoke with his bare hands.

A.N./Did you like it? Did you catch the partial HP quote? Thoughts, suggestions, ideas, criticisms, etc.?

Food for thought: If you had known Sirius's animagus form and thought he was out to harm, but you were his friend, would you have turned him in? Why or why not?

I'll add the food for thoughts whenever a piece of the text interests me and prompts me to do so. I look forward to hearing your answers. I'll post my response next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

A.N./ ok here's chapter 2 of this. I had no intention of going this way until later, but as I started to write this is what came out. I hope you guys like it. I can't wait for Sirius to come into this and the ministry will be getting what's coming to them don't you worry. I'm loving this story so far. I am still working on the other stories this one is just stuck in my head more than the others currently plus I have my own books I am working on so the others might be slow, but I've promised myself to write an hour every day.

A Branch in Time

Ch. 2

Remus paced nervously in front of Dumbledore's door. He had gone to tell him about Sirius, but it seems that Dumbledore was out and about in the castle. Remus knew he should probably go find him, but what he needed to tell Dumbledore was for his ears alone. He knew this castle had ears everywhere and wasn't keen to discuss this where anyone could hear.

After nearly a half hour Remus's will to wait was nearly gone when the head master appeared at the top of the spiraling staircase. His blue eyes sparkled happily seeing Remus there as he made his way over.

"Remus my boy, what can I do for you this day?" Remus sighed and gathered all the Gryffindor courage in him.

"I need to talk to you Albus, it's urgent, it's about Sirius Black." Albus's face fell as he studied the haggard man who looked much older that his actual age. His eyes no longer wrinkled as he ushered that man into his office and they took upsets on each side of his claw-footed desk.

"Albus I must confess I haven't been completely honest with you where it concerns Sirius Black, "Remus began and the old man looked quizzically over his half moon glasses, his fingers folding in front of him. Remus always hated that look from the headmaster it always made him feel like a naughty school boy, he should know after the number of pranks the Marauders pulled.

"Go on Remus," the old man urged gently knowing whatever needed to be told wouldn't be easy on him.

"You see sir when we were school boys and the others learned of my lycanthropy they hated knowing I faced the horror of the transformation each, month on my own, especially knowing the injuries I would sustain in the night. So James came up with a plan for them to join me...as...animals." Remus finished his face flushing.

"They became Animagi?" Dumbledore asked softly, his mind whizzing with the possibilities.

"Yes and none of them ever registered. James was a stag, Sirius is a dog, and Peter was a rat. That's how I believe Sirius broke out, broke in, and is avoiding capture. Its why I needed to talk to you, to protect Harry and the other students." Remus said, but Dumbledore didn't hear the last part as his mind had caught on one word, rat.

"Remus would you be able to recognize Pettigrew's animagus form should you see it?" Dumbledore asked the werewolf in front of him who seemed to be trying to hold it together.

"O...of c...course professor, but why?" Remus replied caught off guard by the question.

"I have a suspicion that not all is as it seems. I realize now that I know of a rat, one who has been alive for many years now passed from one student to another, a student who resides with Harry, Ron Weasley. I know Ron has complained through these past months about the cat that Harry's other friend Hermione brought to school trying to go after his already sick rat. I believe the rat may be an a animagus Remus and if I am correct and the rat is the man you describe then Harry might be in more danger than we believed." Dumbledore replied a great heaviness wearing on him, but his eyes held fire.

"But I don't understand professor," Remus said moving in his chair as a bad feeling swept through him, "if that's true and Ron's rat is Peter then why did he hide all these years when he would have know Sirius was imprisoned?"

"Can you think of none Remus? Think of Lily and James and the charm they were under." Dumbledore watched carefully as Remus thought anger and grief filling his eyes as he realized what Dumbledore was getting at.

"But...but Sirius...Sirius was the secret keeper not Peter, but I was out of the country, what if they changed without me knowing, why would they, the only thing I can think is they suspected me the traitor in the order, we knew there was one and I guess I was gone a lot. Oh god Dumbledore that would mean Sirius is innocent and spent 12 years in Azkaban for no reason!" Remus stomach bubbled in nausea as guilt, anger, and grief washed through his before fear filled him to the very brim. "Harry! Dumbledore...Harry...he could be in major danger!" Dumbledore nodded, he stood from his desk and called for a house elf.

"Professor Dumbledore sir, Dobby is at your service sir," Dobby said sweeping into a low bow.

"Dobby what I must ask you to do is of grave importance, Harry could be in danger. I need you to go to Harry's dorm and get Ronald Weasley's rat and put him in a container that he can't escape and bring him back here. Then I need you to retrieve Harry, Ron, and Hermione as well as professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, and Snape. Can you do that for me?" Dumbledore replied to the strange elf.

"Of course Professor Dumbledore sir." Dobby replied before popping away. Dumbledore floors out of his office at that point as well leaving Remus to sit waiting. It was only a few minutes later when the eager elf returned with the rat that was trying to get out of the cage, but cowered when it saw Remus. That one look was all Remus needed to know that the rat was Pettigrew and it took all of Remus's control not to kill it.

Dobby returned after another 10 minutes with all the people he was asked to obtain. They all looked puzzled as to why they were here. The headmaster returned in his fireplace a few minutes after with the Weasley parents, the minister of magic, and a few aurors. Everyone gathered around the desk as Dumbledore began to speak.

"I know you may be wondering why you have been brought here today. As you see before you on this desk sits a rat. Remus came to me today to tell me his friends had been Animagi to be with him during the full moons. My attention was caught on the one who was a rat. It never occurred to me until today how old this rat was, not did I second guess until today that only a finger was found of Pettigrew, no other parts, a finger I now realize was in perfect condition accept for where it had been cut off. It also occurred to me this rat is rather unique that its missing a toe, quite coincidental don't you think?"

"Dumbledore you brought us here over a rat?!" Fudge raved looming quite annoyed.

"Not just any rat Cornelius, but a rat I believe to be the animagus form of Peter Pettigrew. If my suspicions are correct the ministry may well have imprisoned and be chasing an innocent man." Fudge looked quite green at this as a scandal would be a PR nightmare. Dumbledore took the rat from his cage carefully, set him on the floor, and charmed him. Before their eyes a man grew where the rat had once set. He looked up at the gathered crowd and tried to play innocent.

"Oh Professor Dumbledore thank you, its been so long and Remus...Remus my old friend." Remus took a step back as the dirty man reached for him.

"Don't touch me. You killed them didn't you...Lily and James. You were the one who sold them out!" He snarled his eyes flashing dangerously, his wand held tightly in his grip. Wormtail coward in front of Remus.

"No! No never...I...I couldn't!" He whined, "it was Sirius. Harry, Ron, you believe me don't you? I was a rat, a good rat." He reached for the boys, but Remus pushed him away as the Weasley parents pulled the children back.

"Don't you dare touch them! Tell me Peter where were you when you weren't at meetings or didn't meet up with all of us on full moons." The ugly man shook knowing he was caught.

"You...You don't understand Remus he would've killed me if I didn't do as he wanted. He was powerful, had weapons beyond your belief. What would you have done?" Peter wailed.

"I would have died before I sold out my friends. I would never have betrayed them. You played on all of our insecurities and doubts to protect yourself. You betrayed Lily and James and then used Sirius's grief and anger against him to frame him and kill muggles. You're disgusting Peter and I hope the Dementors deal with you." Peter screamed and tried to find a way to escape, but there was no way with the gathered crowd, as a man at least, so he transformed into a rat and darted quickly over to Harry before transforming back and grabbing him.

"You let me go and I'll let the boy go, if you don't I'll kill him and the dark lord will reward me handsomely when he returns." He held tight the Harry's arms and neck and began to squeeze as Harry struggled. "Don't think I won't kill him, I have before, the dark lord demands it before he marks you. Lower your wands or he dies."

The wands began to lower and Pettigrew backed up towards the door. However what he didn't see were the looks Ron and Hermione gave each other.

"Do you really think the Dark Lord would reward you for killing the boy? You know his view on that as well as I do Peter. The Dark Lord would be angry if you did, he wants the boy to himself, you know that." Severus replied through clenched teeth ager and hatred boiling like a potion in his eyes.

Peter hesitated at these words and that brief distraction gave Ron and Hermione the opening they needed. Before anyone knew what was happening Ron and Hermione burst forth tackling the slimy man to the ground, making him release Harry who coughed and gasped for air. The Aurors took over for the teenagers arresting the rat with special cuffs that wouldn't allow him to transform.

"Are you ok pup?" Remus asked pulling the young boy into his arms. Harry nodded but nasty purple hand prints were already forming on his neck. "Lets get you to the Madam Pomfrey" He picked up the all too light boy and stepped straight into the fireplace before anyone could object and flooded to the Hospital wing.

A.N./ ahhhhhh can you believe it Peter was caught and arrested. Was it cool? I can't wait for the next chapter its going to be exciting!!!


	3. Chapter 3

A.N.: A. I dont own blah blah blah. B. I'm back!! I know I was gone for a while, Christmas was hard and life got crazy, but I'm back and so much is coming for this story. Make sure to read the end authors note and reply with your opinions! Anyway on to the story.

A Branch in Time

Ch. 3

Poppy looked up from her notes as Remus entered the hospital wing. She gasped seeing the black haired teenager in his arms.

"Remus is that Harry?!" She said running forward motioning to the closest bed.

"Yes. He was attacked by Pettigrew who was found alive in his Animagus form. He tried to escape when he was found and admitted to selling out Lily and James and framing Sirius." Remus said laying a now sleeping Harry on the bed. Poppy Pomfrey had been the only other to know the boys secrets. She had kept them all these years. They had told her when they needed medical intervention after the full moons and made sure they had plausible reasons for their injuries.

"Once a rat always a rat," she replied anger blazing in her eyes. She ran a diagnostic scan of the boy to assess him. " He has some bruising on his throat inside and out. Outside I can fix with a cream and it'll be gone in a few hours, however the inside will take a few days to heal with a potion, his throat will be sore, so his voice will be hoarse and it will be difficult to eat, I suggest soups and soft foods for the next few days."

Remus sighed and nodded angry once more that Peter could harm the child of one of his ex best friends. More than anger though was disappointment and sadness. He was disappointed that one of the friends he grew up with would do what Peter had, it also saddened him. He was also sad and angrythat he had spent so many years grieving over a traitor while an innocent man, his friend, sat in Azkaban for a crime he did not commit.

Poppy was now rousing Harry just enough to get him to drink the potion. He knew she hated to do so, but the potion that he needed had to be drunk to work on his throat it couldn't be spelled in. After drinking Harry was right back asleep.

"Poppy will you be ok to watch Harry? I don't really want to leave him, but I have a feeling Sirius is somewhere close and I need to find him. He needs to know what has happened and he deserves to meet his godson. Hopefully Dumbledore will aid me in getting Sirius freed." Remus whispered looking down on his sleeping charge. Maybe after all of this they could give Harry a proper childhood and be a family. They all deserved that after these 12 long years.

"Of course Remus. When you find him, if he needs medical care, bring him up here will you? I hate to think how much he has suffered these past few years. It might be well for me to run a mental examination anyway. 12 years with Dementors cant have been easy on his mind." Remus nodded and stood to leave, but before he did,he softly kissed Harry's head and brushed the fringe from the teens eyes.

"I'll be back soon," he said to both of them and then strolled out of the room and to the grounds. Once outside he made his way to the forbidden forest. If one were to hide this would be the place to do it. He knew Sirius would know his way around, after all the Marauders had spent many of their school years exploring the place and he knew that Sirius would never be far from Harry, not after being kept away for 12 years.

"Padfoot are you here?" He called into the dark misty forest walking slowly in as to not attract attention. "Sirius I know your innocent, Pettigrew has been caught and he attacked Harry." A black dog lept out of the trees to the right of him growling. He quickly transformed into a dirty haggard man. Even dirty and haggard his friend was definitely a welcomed sight for sore eyes.

"He attacked Harry?! Oh I'm really going to murder him now. Where is he?!" Sirius seethed clenching his fists and clenching his muscles ready to attack.

"Pettigrew is on his way to Azkaban and probably the Dementors Kiss. As for Harry he's in the hospital wing. The rat is being taken care of, however Harry needs us." All fight went out of Sirius at that moment. He nodded and followed his old friend into the school. They went straight to the hospital wing as Remus could tell his old friend would need some medical help and he would put up a fight if he didn't see his godson straight away.

Poppy made her way to the men who walked through the doors and sat Sirius down on the bed next to Harry. Sirius watched his sleeping godson, his eyes held pure love and devotion and also fierce protectiveness. His eyes grew to slits though as they landed on the bruises that marred the skin on Harry's neck.

"He'll be fine Sirius the bruising on his neck will be gone by morning and the bruising inside his neck will be gone in a few days." Poppy said noticing the look on his face.

"And his mental state?" Sirius said eyeing between Remus and Poppy.

"In all honesty I don't know. Harry's a tough kid. He's fought he-who-must-not-be-named off 3 times now. He's held up the other times, I'm sure he'll be fine. If he needs to talk he has you and Remus and his friends." Poppy responded eyeing the boy as she finished with Sirius. "You aren't in too bad of shape you'll need a nutrient potion for a while and a weight gainer, but really thats about it. I want you to eat well, not just junk food you hear me? I also want you to see a mind healer, no complaints."

"Yes Poppy." He replied with a smirk.

"Why do I even try." She said throwing her hands up as she walked away to grab his potions.

"She's right Sirius." Remus said sitting down on Harry's bed watching him.

"I know. I just hate that this all happens to him he doesn't deserve it." He replied sitting in the chair next to the bed and began stroking his godson's hair. They continued to chat for a while before Harry's eyelids began to flutter.

"Come back to us pup, your safe" Remus said softly as Sirius grabbed his glasses from the bedside table and put them on his face.

"Professor Lupin? And...Sirius Black?! Professor what's going on?" Harry said grabbing his wand and pointing it at the assumed mass murderer.

"Relax kiddo. Let me explain before you make any rash moves, please?" Sirius said holding up his hands in surrender. Harry watched him and slowly lowered his wand as Remus nodded that it was ok.

"Ok talk, but this better be good." Harry watched the man carefully.

"Do you remember what happened in the office?" Harry nodded the memory returning to him. "Harry I didn't kill your parents. James was my brother in all but blood, and Lils she became a sister easily to me, even though I always annoyed her. I loved them both and Remus of course dearly. They were, are my family. You prongslet are my world. Your parents used to joke that you loved me more than them, we were so close when you were a baby, my entire world changed the moment I heard about you and even more when James asked me to be your godfather. When I held you for the first time it was beyond anything I could have imagined. I love you kid and I have missed you so much." Without thought Sirius pulled Harry into his arms, Harry tensed a bit but eventually relaxed into the hug.

"So if I'm prongslet, does that mean my dad is prongs? And who are the other three?" The two men were surprised, but laughed anyway.

"Well I'm Padfoot and that old man over there that's Moony. The traitor was Wormtail. How did you know the nicknames Harry?" Sirius released Harry and sat him up in the hospital bed.

"The map. The twins Fred and George gave it to me. It's uh how I've been getting to hogsmeade this year." Harry replied sheepishly causing Sirius to guffaw in laughter and Remus to shake his head with a smile playing across his face.

"So someone found it eh? I thought that thing would never find it's way out of Filch's office. So who are Fred and George?" Sirius asked.

"The school pranksters, they idolize the Marauders. They're going to lose it when they realize one is my dad, one is my godfather, and the other has been teaching us for 2 months." Harry smirked as he said this.

"They are Molly and Arthur's sons," Remus replied.

"Ohhhhhhh those twins. I remember Arthur's stories about them. Didn't they have a daughter just before the war ended?" Sirius asked recalling his memories from the war.

"Yeah Ginny. She's a second year now. She had a bit of a rough first year, Voldemort possessed her, well his diary did, but she's a sweet girl and a brilliant student. I've heard from other students, especially her brothers, that she is quite adept with a bat bogey hex, I should test that out sometime." Remus replied recalling the spitfire redheaded girl that waz in his 2nd year classes.

"Yeah just don't have her do it to you, when they says she's adept at it, that's downplaying it, A LOT." Harry said seeming to have to shake off a bad memory, leading the 2 men to wonder exactly what happened to cause that reaction.

"I'll keep that in mind and now you need some food before madam Pomfrey comes to chase us away for keeping you from your Lunch." The men all laughed at that though Harry's was rougher and they went about calling a house elf to bring them food. This was a newbeginning for all of them, one that they all deserved, Karma was finally looking in their favor.

A.N.: Yay Sirius is here!!! I love him, he's going to be an amazing dad to Harry, something Harry truly needs. I'm so on the fence about whether I want this to be a wolfstar story or not. It will be brilliant either way, but I just don't know which way to go. So Im asking for your help with a poll, yes or no and why?


	4. Authors Note

Hey guys,

I know this isn't the chapter you have been waiting for and that I have been on hiatus for a few months, there has been a lot going on and I feel terrible for leaving you all hanging. I have new chapters for all my stories in the works and I am getting back to writing. I need to do a bit of editing to this story on the current chpters I have up so I will be doing that as well as writkng new ones.

I do apologize for being gone so long and I hope you stick with me as I improve this and my other stories, add to them, and get back to writing. Give me a shout out and let me know if you've seen this and plan to stick with me.

p.s. I am working with a new fandom as well. If you are a Lore Olympus fan check out my Lore Olympus Stories.

As always my faithful readers;

Faith


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